


Outtakes

by MsLanna



Series: Meliana Hawke's Dragon Age [3]
Category: Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2019-01-28
Packaged: 2019-05-07 02:32:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14661504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsLanna/pseuds/MsLanna
Summary: One-Shots set within the series somewhen but not fitting into the story proper.





	1. Two of Swords

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Valoraas PoV

It was important to her. That was it; the long of it; the short of it; all of it. This mattered to Meliana so he acquiesced. Valoraas had to admit it was actually a sore fore him. But it did not matter overall. It was important to her and he had given her the remains of his sword without thinking.

She was right, too. He had kept them. There was absolutely no reason to do so. He was no longer of the Qun. He was Tal-Vashoth. His sword meant nothing. His soul was lost. And yet he had held on to the broken pieces of it.

Was he already undermining their rightful separation? Had he given in? They were not joined any longer. It had been something of a regret when he had left Kirkwall. It had become a dull lack in Par Vollen, during the long and slow confrontation with pride and procedure.

But here she was, almost unchanged. Maybe a little quieter, more thoughtful, more pensive. Yet he could feel the vibrant life thrumming inside her whenever she was close. Where others treated him with caution or reverence, she was still all caring, careful, considerate.

Valoraas watched Meliana make her way across Haven. She carried the broken pieces of his sword as if they were still worth something; as if they were still precious. There had been no hesitation, no worries when he handed over the remains of his sword. Meliana was – a friend. The foreign word rolled strangely through his thoughts. Friend. Kadan.

She cared and she was somebody whose well-being he considered in his plans. And she carried the pieces as if they still mattered. Abysmal hope – there was no other description.

Valoraas turned his back on he dwindling figure. It was one problem relocated. One thing less he had to worry, had to think about. There was enough to think about and none of it pleasant.

Meliana deserved better. Despite everything – tranquility, possession, anchor – she deserved better. Kadan who did not disapprove of magic. Kadan who accepted her for who she was, what she was, all of her just as she was.

But he was not that person. The green glow of her hand gave him the creeps. There was too much pain and hope in her eyes. It was too much to heal, to easy to shatter. Valoraas could not shoulder the responsibility.

It was as easy as that. Friend, yes. Kadan. Not to be hurt.

In return it was alright to be hurt by the happiness on her face as she lugged away his useless past.


	2. Justice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A snippet dealing with a tranquil Hawke and her friends travelling.

Justice

“I can't do this any more!” Anders turned away. He didn't have to watch to know the pain an panic spreading over Meliana's face when she realised the magic was fading. And he would certainly see enough of that empty look. That horribly empty look.

How he had hated it on Karl's face. The memory still hurt after all these years. But the solution for Karl was not one that would work for Hawke. He had promised. They had all promised. But here they were, not a step closer to curing her Tranquility than when they had started over a year ago. A whole long year.

He shook off the hand that carefully settled on his shoulder. “Leave me alone!”

“As you wish.” Meliana did not sound offended. She never did. All she did was withdraw. It made him livid. She had saved Kirkwall, saved the whole bloody city twice over and what had she gotten? Tranquility. A life without life. A meaningless smile and no purpose.

Leaving Kirkwall in a hurry had rankled Anders. He had wanted to stay and, well. A grim smile settled on his face. The Qunari had taken care of that problem for him. To this day it was a subject of heated argument why the Qunari had destroyed the city. Word of Meliana's Tranquility had never left the city. He was grateful for that. He was even more grateful to know that each and every Templar in the city had burnt to death, hopefully screaming in pain.

It was not really justice. It was close enough. He ran the back of his hand over his eyes.

“Getting better, Blondie?” Varric asked.

“I thought it would get easier.” Anders sat down. “But it doesn't. It has been over a year and it just doesn't. What if it never does and there is no cure?”

They look to Meliana who was tending the fire and food. She was a convenience to have around when travelling, doing all of the work without a word. A perfect servant.

“Sometimes I just wish, I don't know.” Anders shook his head. “That we could leave her with the Qunari and be off on our quest.”

“Yes, it must be really nice to be the Arishok,” Varric agreed. “Deciding after one day that you can't deal, drop her with us and blow of Kirkwall.”

“He told you that?”

“In advance,” Varric confirmed. “And he told me that I could not stop him because the only thing that could had been turned into a vegetable.”

“It is not very nice to talk of the Tranquil like that,” Merrill said sitting down beside them. “They are people. Somehow.”

“They are prisons with people trapped inside,” Anders snorted.

“I do not feel trapped.” Meliana handed them their supper. “Since it is clear that the interludes which restore my magic only give us all pain, we should indeed stop. Anders is right. In my Tranquility I do not miss my magic at all. It is alright.”

They looked at each other. The was too much temptation in her words. The longer it lasted, the longer they had to endure the mirror image of their Hawke walking beside them. The longer there was hope, the greater the pain. But what was the alternative?

“We promised you,” Varric said into the silence. “And we keep our promises.”

“And what if it is impossible?” Meliana asked gently. “What if there is no cure? I have never heard of one. I have never heard of a Tranquil regaining their magic. Will you throw your lives away on a useless quest?”

“We will find a way,” Anders said. If he couldn't convince her, how could he believe it himself? “I just can't- the transitions are too painful.”

“I understand.” Meliana smiled. “And you cannot be Justice always. It is fine.”

Only it was not. Anders watched her sit down and eat. Methodically. A thing that had to be done to keep the entity that was Meliana up and running. It was not right. And it certainly was not fair. It had to end.


	3. Drunk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Perfect little drabble.

"You're drunk." Valoraas disapproved.

Meliana didn't care. Of course she was drunk. This had been one of the worst days in her life, drink was how she coped! It turned her whole being happy and fuzzy, if only for a while. A little more even made her forget the pains of a whole evening.

"'N why aren't you?" she wanted to know.

"Because one of us has to make sure you end up in the right bed at the end of the day." He gently picked her up. "And seeing how you are, that is not going to be you."


End file.
